Because I’ll Do Just About Anything for the Comfort of My Children

This post comes with a warning:
If you don’t like to discuss Gastrointestinal difficulties, you should really just move along until another day.

If you have followed along at all the last few days, you know Luke and I have been on a mission trip which we just returned from Saturday night. During our absence, the kids’ stayed with their wonderful grandparents in Georgia who treated them with the Lake Winnie amusement park, bowling, and the Chattanooga Aquarium in three days time. Can anyone say brave? or Crazy perhaps? Making the trip even better, my kids have healthy appetites and love to eat good food. My MIL is a foodie who loves to cook so the match is one made in heaven. My number 2 boy (Squid) eats like a horse but unfortunately suffers from the same gastrointestinal issues as his mother. Too much food + Too Little Time = Big Bathroom Problems.

When we picked the kids up on Sunday, all was well until after church that night when we headed to the Mexican Restaurant with friends. In the car ride over, Squid was writhing and complaining with his stomach cramping which was code for, “I’ve really got to poop.” The Mexican restaurant has a clean bathroom so we told him he could just take care of business there. We thought all would ‘come out okay’ but, alas, we were wrong.

Squid could not seem to use the bathroom and then informed us he didn’t think he had pooped at all for 4 days. He started crying so Luke took him home while the rest of us finished our meal. I went to the pharmacy, got some ‘belly medicine’, and gave it to him to see if the problem could be resolved.

About 12:00 midnight, Squid woke up screaming. He got out of bed, couldn’t stand up straight, and informed me he couldn’t feel his left leg. Of course, like any other mother would do, I got dressed immediately to take him to the ER. After I ran around like a chicken packing a bag for the long hospital visit, we get to the front door to leave. Squid turned to me and said, “I feel perfectly fine now.”

Exactly how does a kid go from, “I can’t feel my legs!” to perfectly fine? Can anyone explain that to me? I decided to go ahead and drive towards the hospital just in case the problem reappeared. I sure didn’t want to be back in bed and have to get up all over again. So off we went – at midnight – to town just in case the paralysis set back in.

As we drove, I continuously asked, “Are you okay? Still feeling fine?” He kept telling me that he was indeed feeling wonderful. And then I began hearing the reason for his newfound comfort. As his little sister would say, Squid began to ‘fluffy’. A lot. I guess ya’ll remember Luke got a new truck a month ago to replace the Blue Goose? Well, I think we officially christened this one The Fluff. She is still airing out as we speak…..

How exactly does a mom find herself driving around town at 1 a.m. so her son can pass gas? (You have to know there is another word I really want to use here….) And then how does she find herself in line at Krystal of all places when the child informs her he is hungry? Can you even imagine giving the kid a gut bomb on top of what was already brewing in that belly? Fortunately, they have a few options so I got the kid some Krystal Chix and Sweet Tea which thankfully, was much cheaper than an ER co-pay.

I don’t even know why I told ya’ll this. It’s just one of those parenting moments that are so unbelievable when you are living them and yet are also the spice of life. Or the aroma of life. However you want to think of it.

Oh, and everything worked itself out today. We have no cramps and can feel our legs.

And all is right with the world…..

July 31, 2007 | Filed Under Parenting or Lack Thereof | 13 Comments 

She Enjoys Being Nothing

My daughter was playing with a teddy bear this morning her brother recently won for her in a ‘Claw Machine’. You know those obnoxious contraptions you feed with $37 in quarters in hopes of snagging a $2 stuffed animal?

Luke asked her the bear’s name because in Princess Land, everything has a name and distinct personality which determines when and how it is allowed to participate in all manners of little girl drama. The monikers range from Sally to Cinderella to FrouFrou to Jack – you get the picture.

When Luke asked this bear’s name, Princess said, “It is Nothing. She likes being Nothing.”

Does that SCREAM at anyone but me? Do you know how much truth there is in that innocent statement? I know so many believing women who are perfectly content with no name. And by this I do not mean our making a name for ourselves but accepting the name God has given us. Think about Gideon’s being a mighty warrior before he ever picked up a sword, Abraham being a father of nations before he’d ever birthed a single child, Saul embracing the Greek name of Paul in order to fufill his ministry to the Gentiles.

I wish I had time to expound on this but I only have a quick minute today…I’ve got to clean my house and cook today or my husband is going to reconsider our marriage vows. All I’ve got to say for now is this is SO going in the ‘Get Over It’ Conference!

July 30, 2007 | Filed Under Spiritually Speaking | Comments Off 

5 Questions….

Cyndi at One Day More tagged me for a 5 Question Meme a very long time ago. I am so sorry in being lax in ‘tags’ lately! If you’ve sent me one and I haven’t responded, please forgive me. It has just been an insanely busy summer! Cyndi’s is the first of the ones I know I haven’t played along to, so here goes…

Here are my questions:

1. When is a time you felt especially close to God?
A while back, I was in the church sanctuary all alone on a weekday. The sun was shining through the stained glass in a perfect circle on the altar steps. Immediately I thought, “Take off your shoes. This place is holy ground.” I took off my shoes and laid in the light for quite some time…It was a very tender moment between Him and me.

2. If you could learn another language (easily), what would it be?
Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek to read the original bible manuscripts. Also Spanish so I can talk to my friends at the Mexican restaurant and Egyptian so I could read hieroglyphics and find evidence of the Israelites in ancient Egypt. Did you say one language? :))

3. What house chore is your least favorite and why?
Oh gosh..I truly despise them all but I guess laundry is the most overwhelming….

4. If you could have any animal (tamed) as a pet, what would it be?

A horse…I love them with all my heart..:) And a dog like Lassie that would always help me or the kids if we were in trouble.

5. What’s one thing about your life now that would’ve surprised the “teenager you” to know?

That I would be living in a small town in Alabama and be a pastor’s wife with 4 kids. I’m positive I would have jumped the nearest airplane and flew far, far away to avoid that prophecy…” :)) Aren’t we glad God doesn’t give the big picture when we are too young and stupid to appreciate it??

This was a hoot, Cyndi!! Thanks for sending it my way! I’m not tagging anyone specifically because I think a lot of you are doing this already……If you want to play, grab the questions and let me know to link you! :))

July 30, 2007 | Filed Under Tag You're It | 7 Comments 

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